Tipping was early 1900's trend where diners allowed the wait staff to keep the change to the next whole dollar as a treat for pleasant service. The waitstaff realized they could make good money if they served more tables, which was usually good for the owner's bottom line as well. 100 years out, the whole tipping shiat is way too far out of farking control and threatens to collapse the free market any day now.

Upon being seated, I tell the waiter or girl version of a waiter (for a dinner expected to cost $35.00 for two): "Your tipping period begins now. Your amount, at this time, is $20.00. I want a water with lemon slice within 1 minute. We both want wine now. I want my salad in 5 minutes. I want my dinner in twenty minutes. I want the bill on my table with my salad. I want my drink re-filled before I need it, and without asking. If you put customers with children under the age of 8 around me, your tip is immediately cut in half. Also, you are not to speak to me."

Gives them something to aspire to. You know, motivation to do a good job and really earn it.

Sweet keep the 20, kids on both side of you, and you said hot water w no lemon and some spit.Btw I forgot to put in your order and probly won't put it in until the next 4 tables leave. I don't like your face and wish you would just leave. Oh from now on I am going to abide by one rule you gave me. I will not talk to you anymore.

I actually enjoy tipping for good service, the thought that this person can maybe have something nice on you is fulfilling. When I was younger I used to tip really high 40%+ because I just had the extra money and no real bills but nowadays I usually do 20-25%.

Tipping threads are starting to keep me from eating out with my family. I can afford the tip, I just dont think the farking waitstaff deserve 20%. There is not a single farking thing that they do that I can see that would earn them 20% of a $50-$100 meal. Refill my drinks once? Carry food from point A to point B? Bring me my check and just leave it on the table at some point? fark you. fark the waitstaff. Sorry you got a shiatty job that is another in a long line of historically screwing over their employees but there is still 1 and only 1 reason people pay 20%+ of their tab to some guy bringing them food. FEAR. If I have to be afraid then fark that, i'll happily spend my hundred bux someplace that I dont have to worry about a disgruntled college drop out pissing in my over priced ice tea because I only tipped 10% instead of 30%.

Tipping should be illegal, punishment, getting shiat on by a an elephant.

Ex-Texan:T a lot of these "restaurants" now, you're expected to tip even if you order the food to go. When did this happen? If it's too much to expect them to "do their job", why bother? I thought tipping was an addition for "exceptional" service.When did it become De Rigeur for just doing your job? Next you know, you'll be "expected" to tip for buying gas for your car.

Tipping in a restaurant is required because of the amount the waitstaff is paid. Minimum wage in tipped jobs is a little over $2 in most states. If every customer thought as you do, a waiter would make less than $90 before taxes for his 40 hour week. If they made regular minimum wage, then yes, tipping would be for exceptional service.

Because the various state legislatures and the restaurants have both decided not to pay waitstaff appropriate wages, it is incumbent on the customers to make up that difference. Basically, look at it this way - the price on the menu is the price for the ingredients, the chef's wages, and the building's lease and utility bills. It does not include the labour cost of the waitstaff - that's a hidden cost of eating out that they leave out to make their prices look lower.

DemonEater:Tipping in a restaurant is required because of the amount the waitstaff is paid. Minimum wage in tipped jobs is a little over $2 in most states. If every customer thought as you do, a waiter would make less than $90 before taxes for his 40 hour week. If they made regular minimum wage, then yes, tipping would be for exceptional service.

Fine, then the restaurant should be required to place a sign at the entrance that says "We only pay our waitstaff $2/hr so you are expected to tip to make up for our cheapness".

DemonEater:Ex-Texan: T a lot of these "restaurants" now, you're expected to tip even if you order the food to go. When did this happen? If it's too much to expect them to "do their job", why bother? I thought tipping was an addition for "exceptional" service.When did it become De Rigeur for just doing your job? Next you know, you'll be "expected" to tip for buying gas for your car.

Tipping in a restaurant is required because of the amount the waitstaff is paid. Minimum wage in tipped jobs is a little over $2 in most states. If every customer thought as you do, a waiter would make less than $90 before taxes for his 40 hour week. If they made regular minimum wage, then yes, tipping would be for exceptional service.

Because the various state legislatures and the restaurants have both decided not to pay waitstaff appropriate wages, it is incumbent on the customers to make up that difference. Basically, look at it this way - the price on the menu is the price for the ingredients, the chef's wages, and the building's lease and utility bills. It does not include the labour cost of the waitstaff - that's a hidden cost of eating out that they leave out to make their prices look lower.

If it's required, put it on the bill. If it's not on the bill then it's not required Period.

Upon being seated, I tell the waiter or girl version of a waiter (for a dinner expected to cost $35.00 for two): "Your tipping period begins now. Your amount, at this time, is $20.00. I want a water with lemon slice within 1 minute. We both want wine now. I want my salad in 5 minutes. I want my dinner in twenty minutes. I want the bill on my table with my salad. I want my drink re-filled before I need it, and without asking. If you put customers with children under the age of 8 around me, your tip is immediately cut in half. Also, you are not to speak to me."

Gives them something to aspire to. You know, motivation to do a good job and really earn it.

I tip from about 10% up to 30% depending on the performance of the server. 10% for poor service and 30% for badass service. I once left note instead of a tip because a server came over, took my order, had someone else deliver the order to my table and didn't come by again until she brought me the bill, then she didn't even come by to collect it and didn't actually say anything, just put it on my table and walked off. The note wasn't overly rude, just said something like, "You didn't even try to earn a tip... so my tip is that you try to earn your tips from your future customers."

I understand that some professions depend on tips to get by. But if you choose one of those professions and you get a non-tipper every once in a while, don't be a whiny asshat about it, that's just a risk you take when you work in a field that requires you to get tips to make a decent living. If you can't deal with that risk then get a different job.

If you don't tip, the restaurant has to pay the waiter $7.25 (or whatever the local untipped minimum wage is). Since tipping is expected, the restaurant can save about $5/hour per waiter, which could be a couple thousand a week easy.

StreetlightInTheGhetto:I really don't get this mentality. I mean, hell, if you're going to the same place after church each Sunday why wouldn't you tip at least OK out of pure freaking self interest?

I know someone who goes out after church and tips for shiat even though he's friendly with everyone. But he's over 80 and thinks 10% is the max or something. When we go out with him we just bring cash and hide it under our plates so he doesn't see it. If he catches us we conveniently "forget" something at the table after he goes outside. It's ridiculous, but he gets insulted if we think he didn't give enough but we know he doesn't by 21st century standards.

Roja Herring:My guess to tipping being acceptable is because most restaurants are small businesses in a volitile industry. Tipping is a kind of subsidy.

I've always looked at it as a performance. The server is supposed to inform me, serve me, entertain me, and make sure I'm satisfied and pleased with what I've received. They're also supposed to be my liaison to the kitchen staff. I can't talk to the chef... they are doing it for me. So if a server wants to make decent money, he/she needs to impress me with good service. If restaurants just paid workers a flat wage, I doubt we would ever come across an excellent server... just mediocre ones.

The incentive just isn't there with a shiatty wage instead of the potential for decent tips. A really good server can make a pretty nice income in even a middle of the road restaurant.

I know this thread had already gone into full tipping outrage mode, but just wanted to comment, in case anyone had read TFA, that this is an incredibly nice thing this pastor is doing for these waiters and also in telling Christians "don't be dicks."

Hypergreatthing:somemoron: Hypergreatthing: if you don't want low wages, don't accept a position that pays you below min wage.

That's... GENIUS! You should write a book so that people in depressed areas with no other jobs can go get one and stop being poor! Truly, a visionary, you is.

Tell ya what. If someone told me to work for free (or practically free) and every now and then if i do a good job i could get some money, i would flat out refuse them.

Somehow waiters/waitresses only work in depressed areas?

McDonalds pays min wage, so does walmart. If people want to get a waiter/waitress job just because they *can* make a lot of money if they get good tips, that's called gambling. You sometimes win and you sometimes lose. Don't get all angry with someone because they're not generous. If 20% tips are required, then put it on the bill otherwise don't complain. No one is entitled to receive a person's charity regardless of what boo-hoo reasons this exists to begin with.

Sounds like you should invest in a sack of charcoal briquettes and shove 'em up your ass because it's so tight you'd have a fortune in diamonds in a week.

Upon being seated, I tell the waiter or girl version of a waiter (for a dinner expected to cost $35.00 for two): "Your tipping period begins now. Your amount, at this time, is $20.00. I want a water with lemon slice within 1 minute. We both want wine now. I want my salad in 5 minutes. I want my dinner in twenty minutes. I want the bill on my table with my salad. I want my drink re-filled before I need it, and without asking. If you put customers with children under the age of 8 around me, your tip is immediately cut in half. Also, you are not to speak to me."

Gives them something to aspire to. You know, motivation to do a good job and really earn it.

Sweet keep the 20, kids on both side of you, and you said hot water w no lemon and some spit.Btw I forgot to put in your order and probly won't put it in until the next 4 tables leave. I don't like your face and wish you would just leave. Oh from now on I am going to abide by one rule you gave me. I will not talk to you anymore.

Yeah, that guys sounds like a dick. Also, how can one enjoy their meal if they are just watching a stop watch like that? I go out to enjoy food and converse. Not put someone to boot camp.

JohnnyC:I've always looked at it as a performance. The server is supposed to inform me, serve me, entertain me, and make sure I'm satisfied and pleased with what I've received. They're also supposed to be my liaison to the kitchen staff. I can't talk to the chef... they are doing it for me. So if a server wants to make decent money, he/she needs to impress me with good service. If restaurants just paid workers a flat wage, I doubt we would ever come across an excellent server... just mediocre ones.

I've had plenty of great servers in Europe, where service is included in the bill and tipping really isn't done. I've also had really shiatty service in the US, where there's supposedly this big incentive to be great or you don't get paid.

People will generally do their job to the best of their abilities regardless of dangled incentives. People actually do their jobs best when they're happy in their workplace and not worried about doing well enough that day to be able to eat that night.

If servers don't make minimum wage through tips, the employer has to pay the full federal mandated minimum wage. No questions, they have to pay. So, if no one ever tipped any server, the server would make as much as the guy at McDonald's. Now, servers do work harder than the guy at the McDonald's, usually, but let's not pretend that they are only making $2 an hour. Many servers are only worth minimum wage so the exception that a tip is required in every seating is BS.

Maybe you should wait tables then and make those sweet tips. And if you ain't got no money take your broke ass home.

Oh the smug attitude of people who wait tables for a living. It's not customers responsibility to give you money to pay the bills. It's the business you work for.

Know why people who wait tables constantly complain about bad tipping? Because in reality they are horrible about managing their money. They get a good night and blow all the money going out on, and probably not tipping people, and the next day they they do bad in tips and the phone bill is due and they are broke.

Upon being seated, I tell the waiter or girl version of a waiter (for a dinner expected to cost $35.00 for two): "Your tipping period begins now. Your amount, at this time, is $20.00. I want a water with lemon slice within 1 minute. We both want wine now. I want my salad in 5 minutes. I want my dinner in twenty minutes. I want the bill on my table with my salad. I want my drink re-filled before I need it, and without asking. If you put customers with children under the age of 8 around me, your tip is immediately cut in half. Also, you are not to speak to me."

Gives them something to aspire to. You know, motivation to do a good job and really earn it.

Sweet keep the 20, kids on both side of you, and you said hot water w no lemon and some spit.Btw I forgot to put in your order and probly won't put it in until the next 4 tables leave. I don't like your face and wish you would just leave. Oh from now on I am going to abide by one rule you gave me. I will not talk to you anymore.

Pretty much. No refills, poor service, delayed orders, wrong sides, extra loud kids, dismissive of your choices ("Oh don't say that sir, I can tell you would like to see the desert menu" to a fat guy), and just general incompetence all at the cost of $20. As a former server, that's a farking bargain.

No health code violations, because those have consequences. But all kinds of passive-aggressive horsecrap would be worth it for that price.

Nhojwolfe:Sweet keep the 20, kids on both side of you, and you said hot water w no lemon and some spit.Btw I forgot to put in your order and probly won't put it in until the next 4 tables leave. I don't like your face and wish you would just leave. Oh from now on I am going to abide by one rule you gave me. I will not talk to you anymore.

I figured that guy had to be trolling, at least from his one rule. Bad parody of the sorts who usually post in these threads about their ridiculous requirements.

Even Dave Ramsey has railed about Christians not tipping and says that Christians should be generous towards others. Heck they even have a code phrase for schmucks trying to get out of debt by working an extra job so those who are in better shape can slide them some extra tip money.

That being said, head waiters at snooty restaurants can clear $100,000/year, which is a lot of tips.

soseussme:Hypergreatthing: somemoron: Hypergreatthing: if you don't want low wages, don't accept a position that pays you below min wage.

That's... GENIUS! You should write a book so that people in depressed areas with no other jobs can go get one and stop being poor! Truly, a visionary, you is.

Tell ya what. If someone told me to work for free (or practically free) and every now and then if i do a good job i could get some money, i would flat out refuse them.

Somehow waiters/waitresses only work in depressed areas?

McDonalds pays min wage, so does walmart. If people want to get a waiter/waitress job just because they *can* make a lot of money if they get good tips, that's called gambling. You sometimes win and you sometimes lose. Don't get all angry with someone because they're not generous. If 20% tips are required, then put it on the bill otherwise don't complain. No one is entitled to receive a person's charity regardless of what boo-hoo reasons this exists to begin with.

Sounds like you should invest in a sack of charcoal briquettes and shove 'em up your ass because it's so tight you'd have a fortune in diamonds in a week.

Hit too close to home? Don't worry, unlike most Americans I can cook a decent meal and avoid going out as much as i can.I also don't feel like paying people money for the same tasks a trained monkey can do.

DemonEater:I've had plenty of great servers in Europe, where service is included in the bill and tipping really isn't done. I've also had really shiatty service in the US, where there's supposedly this big incentive to be great or you don't get paid.

Maybe you should wait tables then and make those sweet tips. And if you ain't got no money take your broke ass home.

Oh the smug attitude of people who wait tables for a living. It's not customers responsibility to give you money to pay the bills. It's the business you work for.

Know why people who wait tables constantly complain about bad tipping? Because in reality they are horrible about managing their money. They get a good night and blow all the money going out on, and probably not tipping people, and the next day they they do bad in tips and the phone bill is due and they are broke.

I don't wait tables. I'm just not a broke fark face. Are you? I've never been one to, you know, assume.

If you don't tip, the restaurant has to pay the waiter $7.25 (or whatever the local untipped minimum wage is). Since tipping is expected, the restaurant can save about $5/hour per waiter, which could be a couple thousand a week easy.

Combine that with "right to work" laws (which are Republican-speak for "right to fire for any reason") and the notion that a waiter who doesn't get enough tips to save the restaurant that money must be delivering poor customer service, restaurants won't pay $7.25 when they can get someone else.

Maybe you should wait tables then and make those sweet tips. And if you ain't got no money take your broke ass home.

Oh the smug attitude of people who wait tables for a living. It's not customers responsibility to give you money to pay the bills. It's the business you work for.

Know why people who wait tables constantly complain about bad tipping? Because in reality they are horrible about managing their money. They get a good night and blow all the money going out on, and probably not tipping people, and the next day they they do bad in tips and the phone bill is due and they are broke.

I don't wait tables. I'm just not a broke fark face. Are you? I've never been one to, you know, assume.

gadian:If servers don't make minimum wage through tips, the employer has to pay the full federal mandated minimum wage. No questions, they have to pay. So, if no one ever tipped any server, the server would make as much as the guy at McDonald's. Now, servers do work harder than the guy at the McDonald's, usually, but let's not pretend that they are only making $2 an hour. Many servers are only worth minimum wage so the exception that a tip is required in every seating is BS.

Yup, that's the law.

Talk to servers who've actually tried it, though. See how many of them got grilled about why they didn't make enough tips, got moved to shiatty shifts, got their hours cut, got let go...

Nem Wan:Combine that with "right to work" laws (which are Republican-speak for "right to fire for any reason") and the notion that a waiter who doesn't get enough tips to save the restaurant that money must be delivering poor customer service, restaurants won't pay $7.25 when they can get someone else.

Right-to-work is Republican-speak for no-you-can't-have-a-union-not-yours. You're thinking of "at-will".

Pretty much a "Meh, Close enough" on my end. Paid an even dollar amount, it worked out to be a decent tip percent wise. But really, no one is crying with joy over receiving a $3 tip, nor am I patting myself on the back. It's three farking dollars. Whee!

/if you're a cheap asshole, don't eat out. It'll be cheaper.//if you think you're teaching someone else a lesson by not tipping or tipping badly, it's only about what kind of a dick you are.

austin_millbarge:Hypergreatthing: if you don't want low wages, don't accept a position that pays you below min wage.

My guess is you're one of the usual a-holes who complain about people being on welfare.

I think a safety net is a great thing. I don't like people popping out babies so they can live off welfare.I think the ability to get more money off of welfare than people making min wage is when the system is terribly broken.

In California, Washington, Oregon, and Nevada, tipped workers make minimum wage (or close to it) in addition to tips. Yet we still get the "OMG you have to tip 20% or else the poor waiters will starve" argument. http://www.dol.gov/whd/state/tipped.htm for more info.

I tip because it's socially accepted, but I'd much rather just pay a flat fee like I do at other restaurants. Until all the self-righteous waiters start fighting for the rights of the rest of the staff and other minimum-wage food jobs that DON'T get tips, I'll continue to call them self-righteous.